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    • Work at The Arc of Howard County!
    • Career Opportunities
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The 25th annual Chocolate Ball

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The Peace, Love, and Inclusion Tour / Chocolate Ball 2023 / The 25th annual Benefit for The Arc of Howard County / Saturday April 22, 2023 / 7:00pm - Midnight at Turf Valley Resort

The Arc of Howard County’s 25th annual Chocolate Ball

The Peace, Love, and Inclusion Tour!

April 22, 2023

Thanks to Everyone Who Supported our 2023 Chocolate Ball!

It Was a RECORD BREAKING Year!

Thank you For supporting The Arc of Howard County's 2023 Chocolate Ball!
Follow this link to check out photos from the 2023 Chocolate Ball!

The 25th annual Chocolate Ball is The Arc of Howard County‘s Signature Event! The 25th annual Chocolate Ball was held on Saturday, April 22, 2023, from 7 p.m. to Midnight at the Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City, Maryland. This black tie preferred gala — Tuxedos, Suits, and Gowns — Only Groovier! — is a magical evening of fine food, live music, dancing, signature beverages, silent auction, raffles, and of course, delicious chocolate!

We are excited to announce our Honorary Chocolate Ball Chair…Beth Benevides! Elizabeth (Beth) Benevides is Director of Outreach at the Hussman Institute for Autism, and Associate Director for Autism Programs at the Hussman Foundation. In her dual role, she oversees autism-related initiatives and grants, serves as policy and educational advocate for individuals and families with developmental disabilities, and presents numerous autism and disability-related trainings to clinicians, law enforcement, first responders, parents, school systems, businesses, and community partners. Beth is a board member of the Autism Society of America and former president of the Howard County Autism Society. She is chair of the Community Advisory Council of the Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities, and family faculty in the LEND program at the Kennedy Krieger Institute; an appointed member of the Ethan Saylor Alliance for Self-Advocates steering committee; and member of the Commission on Disabilities in Howard County. She was recently awarded the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) 2022 Gordon Richins Award for Leadership and Advocacy.

Beth is a certified special education advocate, and a member of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates and the Maryland Education Advocacy Coalition. She brings her passion as a parent of an adult son with autism to her work. She holds a BA in English from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and formerly enjoyed a career in scholarly publishing.

Thanks to all who joined us and our celebrity Chocolate Ball Judges to raise money for a wonderful cause, all the while dancing the night away to the fabulous sounds of the band, Oracle! All net funds raised support The Arc of Howard County’s programmatic efforts to support people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and their families in Howard County, Maryland. We are proud to announce the 25th annual Chocolate Ball Judges:

  • Ivy Perez, Person Supported by The Arc of Howard County
  • Secretary Carol Beatty, Maryland Secretary of Disabilities
  • Dr. Daria J. Willis, President of Howard Community College
  • Candace Dodson-Reed, Vice President, Government Relations and Community Affairs at UMBC and Photographer
  • Tom Coale, Attorney & Elevate Maryland Podcast

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Sponsors of The Arc of Howard County's 25th annual Chocolate Ball

Chocolatier Sponsor PSA

French Silk Sponsors

Wine Sponsors

Support the Dream

Entertainment Sponsors

Centerpiece Sponsors

Golden Ticket Sponsor

Silent Auction

The Arc Bag Raffle

Bon Bon Sponsors

Chocolate Kiss Sponsors

Peace Train Sponsors

__________________________________________

Thank you to our 2023 Bakers!

Lincoln Culinary Institute

Howard Community College

Touché Touchet Bakery & Pastry Shoppe

Center for Applied Technology North

Turf Valley Resort

__________________________________________

Thank you to our 2023 Chocolate Ball Donors!

Audra Whitelock

Autobahn Indoor Speedway

Axios Wines

Bach to Rock (Fulton)

Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Ravens

Blowfish Poke & Grill (Marriottsville, MD)

Bygone Hollywood

Constantine Wines

Crofton Go-Kart Raceway

Debbie Wagner

Dill Dinkers Pickleball

Dive Bar and Grille

Dover International Speedway

EC Diner

Elkridge Furnace Inn

Gail Benson

Gladiator Pizza

GrillMarx Restaurant

Grille 620

HCPSS Student Employment Training Program

Howard County Pickleball Association

Inspire Salon

Jill Berry

Katie Collins-Ihrke

Kendra Scott in Bethesda, Maryland

Let’s Roam

Mad Chef Kitchen & Bar

Manor Hill Brewing

Maryland Live! Casino and Hotel

Maryland Lottery

Merriweather Post Pavilion

Mouth Party Caramels

Oriental Trading

Perfectly Wrapped Gifts

Pinot’s Palette (Ellicott City)

Prop Stop Photo Booth

Pura Vida Med Spa (Fulton)

Q&C Hotel New Orleans

John Reasner Advertising and Design

Rathskellar

Refocus Portrait Studio

Rev Hair Studio

Sagamore Spirit

Sandra Paetow Photography

Sergio’s Jewelers

Smyth Jewelers

Staging by Sara LLC

Tastefully Simple (Michelle Young)

Target

The Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar

Thersa Ballinger

Therese and Doug Erdman

Total Wine & More

Turf Valley Resort

Tracey Eberhardt

University of Maryland Women’s Basketball

Visit Howard County

Washington Commanders

Wegmans in Columbia, Maryland

Wockenfuss Candies

Whong Community Media/The Business Monthly

Yes Chef

Yolo Health and Wellness

See you at the Ball!


Special Thank You to Last Year’s Sponsors!

The 24th Annual Chocolate Ball and 60th Year Celebration – April 2nd, 2022

Chocolate Indulgence Sponsor - Commercial Insurance Managers

 

French Silk- Dimensional, Turf VAlley, Giant, Annette Hinkle

French Silk - Sandy Spring, Dull Foundation, M&T Bank, Wegmans

Wine Sponsor - Axios

Graphic Design Sponsor - John Reasner

Chocolate Lace Sponsor - VSells, HoCo Gen Hospital, Kelly

Support the Dream - Lincoln Tech

Death by Chocolate - McGuireWoods, Mutual of America, First National Bank

Entertainment Sponsor - Davis Agnor Rapaport skalny, Elm Street Development, L Earl and Mary T Armiger

Arc Bag Raffle - Enterprise Fleet Management, Pam Lanman Guzzone

Silent Auction - Town Artisans Gallery, Coastal Companies, MPT

Centerpiece Sponsor - Erdman, ALFA, Harry H Witzke Funeral Home

Chocolate Souffle - Century Chrysler, Mullen Sondberg, Wimbish, Stone; Tito's

King and Queen Sponsors - Environmental Systems Assoc, Howard hughes

Golden Ticket - Blossoms of Hope,East WEst Sign Group, Kahlert Foundation

Bon Bon - Smith Mechanical, Allen + Shariff, UnitedHealthCare, Catalyst Communications

Bon Bon - Ally Legal, Columbia Association, Apple Ford Lincoln, Weymouth Group

Bon Bon - DEX imaging, Heritage housing, Smyth Jewelers, Allan and Robin Kittleman, Constellation

bon Bon - Harkins Builders, Ironmark, Havtech, Transforming Architecture

Bon Bon - WR Grace, Prop Stop Photo booth, Perfectly Wrapped Gifts, HCAR Cares, Lutheran Village at Miller's Grant

Thank you to our Donors - Chocolate Ball Donors 2022

Thank you to our Bakers - Chocolate Ball 2022 Bakers List

Events
  • Go to Events Calendar for Fundraisers and Events
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  • The 25th annual Chocolate Ball
  • 2023 Fall Golf Classic
  • The Arc of Howard County's 2023 Virtual Celebration of Excellence!
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